Building block game

ABSTRACT

A BUILDING BLOCK SET, ESSENTIALLY CONSISTING OF MODULAR COMPONENTS OF A PLASTIC MATERIAL, ADAPTED FOR FIXED ASSEMBLY FOR INTERFITTING PEGS AND CORRESPONDING HOLES AND/ OR ROTARY ASSEMBLY BY SPECIAL LOCKING ADAPTERS TO EACH OTHER FOR FORMING A LARGE NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FIXED STRUCTURAL AND/OR ROTARY ASSEMBLIES LIMITED ONLY BY THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS OF A GAME SET.

Oct. 19, 1971 Filed Sept. 11, 1969 Fig. 1

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3 Sheets- Sheet 1 Inventor AUGUST WILHTTLM HOWE ATTORNEYS Oct. 19, 1971 A. w. HOWE I BUILDING BLOCK GAME Filed Sept. 11', 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 17

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Fig. 25 I Inventor AUGUST WILI-IELM HOWE United States Patent ice 3,613,291 BUHLDIN G BLOCK GAME August Wilhelm Howe, Gottelmannstrasse 42, Mainz whine), Germany Filed Sept. 11, 1969, Ser. No. 857,072 Claims priority, application Austria, Sept. 18, 1968, A 9,110/68 Int. Cl. A63h 33/00 US. CI. 4616 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention refers to a building block game consisting of building blocks for assembly with each other and in turn to rotating elements, for example wheels, wheel rims and/or gears to be mounted on shafts or axles. The blocks may be secured fixedly together by pegs, preferably of square cross section and fitted into corresponding holes, and some blocks have internal coaxial bores extending transversely of the peg holes for receiving correspondingly dimensioned coaxial shafts or axles.

This application is related to my copending application Ser. No. 832,606 filed June 12, 1969 (W914) for Building Block Game.

In a known building block game of this type (French Pat. No. 1,464,622) shafts, rotating elements and bores in the blocks are designed so that only rotary connections between the shafts, the building blocks and the rotating elements are possible.

There are also known building-block games wherein shafts are provided with longitudinal grooves or keyways or with a non-rotary or square cross section. The rotating elements to be mounted on these shafts are made basically of sheet metal and have projections entering the longitudinal shaft grooves or have an internal noncircular cross section corresponding to that of the shaft so that only non-rotating connection between the shafts and the rotating elements can be made (German Pat. No. 710,658; British Pat. No. 328,947). In these known building-block games, a separate ring of elastic material is usually inserted into the sheet metal body of the rotating element which fits over the shaft introduced into the rotating element, and this ring is intended to prevent axial displacement of the rotating element on the shaft.

It is further known in building-block games to utilize shafts of circular cross section and to provide each of the rotating elements with a hub collar having a set screw attachment to the shaft. Depending on whether the set screw is tightened or loose, this produces a non-rotating or rotating connection to the shaft. These known buildingblock games require additional set screws which make it impossible in practice to manufacture such rotating element of plastics. Moreover, the game then requires an additional tool, i.e. a screw driver, thread holes in the plastic strip, and it is usually not possible to arrange the non-rotating or rotating connection within the rotating elements or building-blocks.

The invention is based on the principle of creating a building-block game of the above general type but wherein it is possible to selectively establish non-rotating and rotating connections between either shafts and rotating elements or between shafts and building blocks. The non- 3,6132% Patented Get. 19, 1971 rotating and/or rotating connection is provided within the rotating element and/or building block and is thus to be incorporated directly into assembly of the buildingblock game.

The invention preferably accomplishes this by providing at least one peripheral recess extending essentially in the axial direction over the entire length of a shaft. The invention further provides for non-rotating assembly of the building blocks and rotating elements to the shaft, connecting and hub elements of non-rotating external shape in relation to the peg receiving hole and/or the axial opening of the rotating elements and with at least one internal projection entering the recess or groove of the shaft; as well as providing for rotating assembly, corresponding rotating and hub element without internal projections and/or essentially cylindrical external surfaces.

This makes it possible to assemble the same shafts, rotating elements and building blocks with either rotating or non-rotating connections merely by selection of the respective connecting and hub elements. The rotating or non-rotating connection between a shaft and a building block and/or a rotating element is disposed within the building block and/or rotating element, so that the rotating and non-rotating connections can be assembled directly into a design model without affecting the assembly system of other building elements utilized in the design model.

The rotating and/ or non-rotating connections utilizing shafts can be made in many ways between only building blocks, between only rotating elements, and also between building blocks and rotating elements.

Within the frame of the invention, each shaft can possess at its periphery at least one flat segment extending over its entire length and the connecting and hub elements intended for non-rotating connection can have a projection fitting this flat segment in the bore receiving the shaft. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, each shaft has at its periphery at least one, preferably two, diametrally opposite grooves extending axially over the entire shaft length, and the related connecting and hub elements intended for non-rotating connection have at least one, preferably two, diametrally opposite internal ribs in the bore receiving the shaft. This arrangement of the axially grooved shaft and the connecting and hub elements with internal ribs provides a particularly reliable fixed connection between the shaft and the connecting and hub elements even when the latter are made of relatively weak plastic. The axial grooves of the shafts may be relatively narrow to occupy only a relatively minor segment of the shaft periphery so that the shafts, in spite of these axial grooves, may rotate smoothly in the corresponding bores of building blocks and/ or other building elements.

In order to reduce shear forces on the ribs of the connecting and hub element for fixed connection, it is peferable within the frame of the invention, if each axial groove is widest at its outer lateral edges and is rounded off at the junction with the shaft periphery. Each rib is preferably rounded at the junction with the surface of the internal bore of the connecting and hub elements and shaped to fit the groove. This rounded transition of the groove edges has the further advantage that, in rotating assemblies, the shafts have a low coefficient of friction in the respective bores.

Within the frame of the invention, it is particularly desirable if the connecting and hub elements provided for non-rotating assembly are formed for at least a part of their length with a non-rotating external cross section corresponding to the pegged connections of the building blocks. The connecting and hub elements provided for non-rotating assembly are thus directly adapted to associate with the peg assembly system of the building blocks. A corresponding adaptation of the connecting and hub elements provided for rotating assembly to the peg assembly system of the building blocks can be accomplished if the connecting and hub elements for rotating assembly have cylindrical bores with no projecting ribs for at least a part of their length, the bore diameter being adapted to bushings inserted in the peg hole.

Within the frame of the invention, connecting elements such as bushings can correspond in their overall length to about half the depth of the peg receiving holes and about half the thickness of the related rotating elements, and can be provided over their entire length with the non rotating and/or rotating form of cross section adapted to the peg hole. It is of particular advantage when the sum of the overall length of a bushing-like connecting element and the height of a peg is slightly less than the depth of the peg receiving hole. This enables a bushing-like connecting element to be introduced into the peg hole of a building block and then covered by the peg of another inserted building block, so that the bushing-like connecting element behind the peg in the peg receiving hole retains sufficient axial play for rotation but nevertheless mintains satisfactory axial support of the shaft. It is of particular advantage here that it is possible in a very simple manner, to utilize a building block with its assembly peg as a gauge for axial adjustment of the bearing created by the bushing-like connecting elements.

correspondingly, it is preferable, within the frame of the invention, to provide the hub elements with a peg whose length is slightly greater than half the thickness of the rotating elements and also with a narrow collar adjoining the peg hole of the building blocks and/or the internal bore of the rotating elements in assembly. This makes possible a rotary suspension of the rotating elements on the hub elements by inserting, on each side, a hub element into the axial bore of a rotating element. Due to the length of the inserted section of these hub elements, there then remains between the faces of the rotating element and the collars of the hub elements sufficient axial play for rotation but still providing satisfactory axial guidance of the rotating element. Moreover, the hub elements with their collar have the advantage that they limit not only the depth of insertion into a peg hole but also they close the respective peg hole and/or rcspective axial bore of a rotating element.

It is of particular advantage if the axial bore of the rotating elements is formed with essentially the same cross section as the peg receiving holes of the building blocks. The same connecting and hub elements may then fit both the peg receiving holes of the building blocks and also the axial bores of the rotating elements. This has the advantage that the rotating elements can be also utilized in different manner with the building block game because they are referenced directly to the pegged assembly systern of the building blocks.

Within the frame of the invention, it is preferable to manufacture the shafts from a suitable metal, for example, brass, and the connecting and hub elements of shearresistanat plastic, for example of polyamide. It is of particular advantage if the bushing-like connecting elements and the hub elements for rotating assembly are formed to slide into fixed position on the shafts and formed for loose and/or rotary fit in the peg holes of the building blocks and/or the axial bore of the rotating elements, whereas the hub elements for non-rotating connection are designed for fixed position both on the shafts and also in the peg holes and/ or axial bores.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partially diagrammatic top view showing a group of building blocks such as are available in the building block game. The block shown in solid lines have a front-end assembly peg and a receiving peg hole on the 4 opposite end (not shown in FIG. I). The block may be provided with one to four lateral assembly pegs as indicated in dotted lines; of FIG. I having one lateral assembly peg;

FIG. 2 is a side view of building block from the group FIG. 3 is a top view of the building block of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the building block of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a section on line V-V of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic top view of a group building blocks available in the building-block game. The solid line block has two opposite front end peg holes, and it may have one to four lateral assembly pegs as in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a section on line VIi-VII of a building block of HO 6 having a lateral assembly peg;

FIG. 8 is a side view of a small wheel as an example of a rotating element;

FIG. 9 is a section on line IXIX of FIG. 8 showing the wheel hub;

FIG. 10 is a side view of a shaft or axis;

FIG. 11 is a section on IXIX of FIG. 10 showing the shaft cross section;

FIG. 12 is a front view of a bushing-like connecting element for a non-rotating assembly;

FIG. 13 is a side view of the element of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a front view of a bushing-like connecting element for a rotary assembly;

FIG. 15 is a side view of a hub element for a nonrotary assembly;

FIG. 16 is a side view of the hub element of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a front view of a hub element for rotary assembly;

FIG. 18 is an enlarged partial section view showing a shaft inserted into the connecting element of FIG. 12;

FIG. 19 is a side view of an example of non-rotating assembly of a large wheel to a shaft;

FIG. 20 is a section on line XX-XX of FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a side view partly in section showing rotary suspension of a rotary element by a hub element;

FIG. 22 is a side view partly in section showing an example of assembling an extension to a shaft;

FIG. 23 is a side view partly in section showing an example of assembling a torsion-rod spring;

FIGS. 24 and 25 are side views partly in section showing examples of assembling rotary supports; and

FIGS. 26 and 27 are side and rear views of a cover plate used in the invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In a preferred embodiment, the building-block game comprises building blocks as shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, shafts as in FIGS. 10 and 11, rotating elements such as shown in FIG. 8, and connecting and hub elements as shown in FIGS. 12 to 18.

FIGS. 1 to 7 show basically two groups of building blocks. Those illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 5 are cube-shaped building blocks each having a body It and a system of fitted connecting elements in the form of pegs 2 and 3 and peg receiving holes 4.

Each building block It has an assembly peg 2 at the front end and an assembly peg receiving hole 4 or socket at the opposite end. These building blocks may be formed without lateral pegs 3 where building blocks having two lateral pegs 3 may carry these on opposite or adjacent lateral faces.

The pegs 2 and 3 and the peg receiving holes 4 all basically have a square cross section, and are designed for axial pegging together of the building blocks. The peg receiving holes have, in the center areas of their inner surfaces, axially extending internal tongues or ribs 5 as shown in FIGS. 47. These ribs 5 fit the lateral surfaces of pegs 2 and 3, whereby the corners of the inserted pegs 2 and 3 will not be in contact with the peg hole surfaces. The lateral outer surfaces of the body 1 are provided moreover with axially extending continuous median grooves 5 which are deep enough to extend into the ribs (FIGS. 4 and 6). Ribs 5 constitute an elastic clamping connection with the pegs 2 and/ or 3 that permits an elastic bending or torsion of a number of pegged together building blocks.

These building blocks present, in an axial extension of their peg receiving hole 4, as shown in FIG. 5, a concentric transverse bore 7 in end peg 2. This bore 7 is dimensioned so that a rotatable element such as shaft (FIG. 11) can be inserted therein. A corresponding bore 7 may be also provided as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 transversely of each lateral peg 3. These bores 7 and 7' have parallel axes and are of the same diameter.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, each building block has two identical but opposed peg receiving holes or sockets 4 and the same arrangement of internal ribs 5 as in FIG. 4. For separation of these two peg receiving holes 4, the block has a transversely extending center partition 8 (FIG. 7) in which is formed a bore 7" coaxial with holes 4 and of the same diameter as bores 7 and 7. The block of FIG. 6 also has a transverse coaxial bore 7' in the lateral peg 3 designed for receiving a rotating shaft 10 for example. The bores 7 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, extend as far as the outside surface of the body 1.

To close the :building blocks at their peg receiving holes, ribs 5 are formed, within the sides of the peg holes 4, with axial recesses 9 (FIGS. 6 and 7) in opposed pairs. Cover plates 32, shown in FIG. 26, have tongues 35 fitting into recesses 9.

Exemplary of the rotating elements available in the building block game, FIGS. 8 and 9 show a small wheel 15, consisting of hub 16 and an outer rim 17 which may have a tire of elastic plastic such as rubber. Hub 16 has a continuous axial non-circular, usually square, cross section aperture 18. Aperture 18 has the same size cross section as pegs 2 and 3 of bodies 1, so that hub 16 can be fixedly assembled without difliculty to a body 1 with aperture 18 receiving a square peg 2 or 3. In these embodiments, the building blocks and rotating elements are preferably made of rigid plastic.

A shaft 10 is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, and it has two diametrally opposed axial converging narrow side grooves 11 extending the entire length of the shaft. Grooves occupy only a relatively small part of the periphery of the shaft 10, as shown in FIG. 11. The grooves 11 are wider at their outer ends than at their roots, and the edges 12 at their junction with the periphery of shaft 10 are rounded (FIG. 18). The groove sides 13 converge toward the bottom of the groove and are rounded off at the junction 14 with the bottom of the groove. This form of groove 11 results in optimum low shear forces of the elements engaging in the groove.

FIGS. 12 to 17 show different connecting and hub elements available in the building-block game. FIGS. 12 and 13 show a bushing-like connecting element 20 for nonrotatable assembly with shafts 10. Element 20 has a transverse coaxial cylindrical bore 21 receiving the shaft 10, with diametrically opposed internal ribs 22 for projecting into grooves 11. As indicated in FIG. 18, the profile of these ribs 22 corresponds to that of grooves 11, being rounded off at junctions 23 with bore 21.

The connecting element shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 has a square cross section which is preferably slightly less than the cross section of pegs 2 and 3. This makes it possible to easily insert these connecting bushings 20 nonrotatably into the peg receiving holes 4 of bodies 1, or into the axial aperture 18 of a rotating element 15. The overall length 24 of the connecting bushings 20 is somewhat less than half the depth of the peg receiving holes 4 of the building blocks and preferably slightly greater than half the depth of the axial aperture 18 of the rotating element 15.

FIG. 14 shows a connecting bushing 25 for rotary assembly. Connecting bushing 25 has a coaxial bore 26 without any internal projections so that it can be easily and securely mounted on shaft 10 in any position of rotation about the shaft 10. Moreover, the connecting bushing 25 has a cylindrical periphery 27 which has a diameter corresponding to the dimension of the peg receiving holes 4 of the building blocks and the axial aperture 18 of rotating elements 15, so that connecting bushing 25 supported within a peg hole 4 or the axial aperture 18 of a rotating element 15 can rotate freely therein with periphery 27 in tangential contact with the hole or aperture sides. The overall length of this rotary connecting bushing 25 has the same length 24 as the non-rotating connecting elements 20.

Since the pegs 2 and/or 3 of the blocks correspond in height to half the depth of a peg receiving hole 4, it is possible to introduce, at the rear of a connecting bushing 20 and/or 25 inserted in a peg receiving hole 4, a peg 2 and/or 3 of a building block in order to mount, in this manner, the rotating support or rotating connection formed by that connecting bushing 20 or 25 between the thrust bearing formed by the front end of the building block and the inserted peg 2 and/or 3 with low axial play, and make it possible to assemble this without difiiculty with other building blocks and/or to incorporate it into a related system of building blocks. Through this correlation of the height of the pegs 2 and/or 3 and the length of the connecting bushings 20 and/or 25 to the depth f the plug receiving holes 4, it is also possible to obtain a particularly favorable axial adjustment of the connecting bushings 20 and/or 25 with the peg receiving hole 4 by inserting a building block with its peg 2 at the rear of the connecting bushing 20 and/or 25 in the plug receiving hole 4 of body 1.

The adaptation of the overall length 24 of the connecting bushings 20 and 25 described above makes the sum of this overall length 24 and of the height of a peg 2 and/or 3 somewhat less than the depth of the peg receiving hole. This provides for a slight axial play for the shaft bearing, desirable for rotational support of one or the other end of the shaft. On the other hand, a rotary part such as a wheel aligned in this manner is adequately secured to and guided axially on shaft 10.

FIGS. 15 and 16 show a hub element 28 for non-rotating connection with a shaft 10. Hub element 28 has, for this purpose, an axial bore 21 with diametrically opposite engaging ribs 22 such as described for element 20 in FIG. 12. In contrast to the connecting element 20, hub element 28 has a square cross section body 29 and a narrow integral circular end flange 30 at one end of the square section body 29. Flange 30, when hub element 28 is inserted into a plug receiving hole 4 of a body 1 or in an axial aperture 18 of a rotating element 15, adjoins and contacts the front face of the respective body 1 and/ or rotating element 15. Otherwise its action is the same as that of the connecting elements disclosed in FIGS. 12 and 13.

FIG. 17 shows a hub element 31 for rotational connection. Like the corresponding connection bushing 25, this hub element 31 has an axial bore 26' without internal projections and a shaft section 32 with a cylindrical periphery 27 and it has a narrow end flange 30, like hub element 28 in FIGS. 15 and 16.

Operation of hub element 31 is the same as that of connecting bushing 25, but upon insertion of body 29 into a peg receiving hole 4 of a body 1 or the axial aperture 18 of a rotating element 15, its narrow collar 30 contacts the front face of the respective body 1 and/or rotating element 15 in the same way as hub element 28 of FIGS. 15 and 16.

The connecting bushings 20 and 25 and hub elements 28 and 31 shown in FIGS. 12 to 17 are preferably manufactured from shear-resistant plastic so that they can be mounted relatively firmly and sungly on metal shafts 10 and secured thereon against axial displacement.

FIGS. 26 and 27 illustrate complementary elements, for example cover plates 32, in side and rear View which serve to close off the peg receiving holes of bodies 1 but still permit insertion of a shaft 10. Cover plate 32 is provided for this purpose with an axially concentric bore 33 which is adapted to receive and support a rotating shaft 10. The rear face of the cover plate 32 is provided with a discontinuous tongue 34 whose outer ends 35 may engage in two opposed recesses 9 in the peg r ceiving hole 4 of a body 1 and thus maintain the cover plate 32 in the peg receiving hole 4 of a building block.

FIGS. 19 and 20 show the invention as providing assembly of a large wheel 36 with the aid of a body 1 having four lateral pegs 3, radially projecting 90 segments apart around the periphery. On these lateral pegs 3 are mounted known rim building blocks 37 which are 90 segments of a circle and carry, on the closed periphery formed by them a ring or tire 38 of elastic mat ria such as rubber. Blocks 37 have square sockets fitting with pegs 3, and in this embodiment pegs 3 have no transverse bores 7.

In order to obtain non-rotating connection of wheel 3 with a shaft 10, a connecting bushing 20 (FIG. 12) i non-rotatably inserted in the peg receiving hole 4 of body 1 and the shaft 10 introduced in turn into the bushing with grooves 11 fitting ribs 22. In this embodiment torque exerted by the wheel 36 is transmitted by the p ug receiving hole or socket 4 of the central body 1 to the square outside crOSs section of the connecting bushing and by the latter to shaft 10 through the engaging ribs 22 and grooves 11, and vice versa.

The peg receiving hole 4 of central body 1 containing the connecting bushing 20 may be closed to the outside by a cover plate 39 which may be the same as the cover plate 32 in FIG. 26 but has with no center bore and formed with a continuous engaging rib 40 fitting tightly into the socket open end.

FIG. 21 shows rotational mounting of a hub 16 of a small wheel 15 (FIG. 8) on a shaft 10 as for utilizing hub 16 as a freely rotating roller. For this purpose, two hub elements 31 (FIG. 17) are mounted on shaft 10 with the front ends of their cylindrical shaft section 32 opposite each other and fitted tightly onto shaft 10 within the bore of hub 16 so that they constitute a practically non-displaceable bearing for the hub 16 closed by collars on both sides. Hub 16 with its axial transverse aperture 18 is thus mounted on this bearing and secured against axial displacement between the narrow collars 30. Hub 16 with its axial aperture 18 can freely rotate on the abutting similar diameter two cylindrical shaft sections 32 of the hub elements 31. The length of the cylindrical shaft sections 32 is preferably slightly greater than half the axial length of the hub 16 so that the latter has low axial play between the collars 30.

The example of FIG. 22 utilizes a double end socket building block without lateral assembly pegs as a connecting sleeve for a shaft extension. A hub element 28 (FIG. 15) is mounted on the ends of each of the re- H spective shafts 10a and 10b. The ends of shafts 10a and 10b supporting the hub elements 28 are introduced from opposite sides into the square peg receiving holes 4 of body 1 until the shafts 10a and 101) are in end contact within the center bore 7" of body 1. Hub elements 28 have tight fit in the peg receiving sockets 4 of body 1, so that the two shafts 10a and 10b are secured together in the axial direction with adequate force. Transmission of a torque takes place through the axial grooves 11 of the shafts 10a and/or 101; and shaft sections 29 of the hub elements 28 to the body 1, and vice versa.

The example shown in FIG. 23 represents the assembly of a torsion-rod spring. For this purpose, a series of similar blocks 1 without lateral pegs 3 is arranged in a row 41. At one end of block row 41, the end of a shaft 10a on which a hub element 28 (FIG. 15) is non-rotatably mounted is inserted in the peg receiving hole 4 of an end body 1. At the other end of row 41, another form of building block 1 without lateral pegs is mounted on the front end peg 2 of the next block. Another element 28 is mounted on the second shaft 10b and is introduced in the peg receiving hole of the end block.

If one of the shafts, for example shaft 10a, is subjected to torsion and the other shaft 10b is held against rotation, torque is transmitted from shaft 10a through hub element 28 to the block row 41 where the elastic nature of ribs 5 in the blocks permit limited elastic torsion of the respective pegs 2 in the engaged peg receiving holes 4. The pegged row of bodies 1 therefore undergoes a small amount of mutual elastic torsion and thus constitutes a torsion-rod spring in which the torque transmitted from shaft 10a is distributed between the individual building blocks and elastically absorbed. Instead of an assembly with a FIG. 6 building at one end of the block row 41, it is also possible to assemble here a body 1 as in FIG. 1 where the rotational connection between the shaft 10b and this last body 1 is effected by means of a connecting bushing 20 on the shaft inserted in a socket 4.

FIGS. 24 and 25 show examples of rotational supports. FIG. 24 shows a bearing for a shaft 10 extending through FIG. 7 type block 1 having inserted connecting bushings 25 in the opposite end sockets 4. The laterally projecting peg 3 is inserted into another building block 1 which may be mounted in any manner in order to provide a bearing support. As shown in FIG. 24, each connecting bushing 25 terminates flush with the respective external faces of the building block. This can be accomplished for example by pushing a fiat surface such as the flat side of a cover plate 32 against the block faces during insertion of the connecting bushings 25, then removing the plate.

The example of FIG. 25 shows a bearing support structure for rotating shafts 20. One bearing support comprises three building blocks, a double end socket center block of the FIG. 7 type and a single socket block of the FIG. 5 type at each end. The center block has at least one peg 3, and the end blocks have at least two diametrically opposite pegs 3. In the upper part of FIG. 25, shaft 10 passes through bores in the lateral pegs 3 of all three building blocks and therefore rotates in triple-point sus pension. Axial displacement may be prevented by mounting a hub element 31 each on shaft 10 at opposite ends of the building-block group. These hub elements have their thrust collars oriented toward the building-block group, but are slightly separated from the building blocks in order to provide sufficient axial play for free rotation.

In the center part of FIG. 25, a second shaft 10 passes through the pegs 2 of the outer end building blocks and the center partition of the central body 1. One connecting bushing 25 is inserted in the peg receiving holes of the outer building blocks and aligned in the same manner as described in connection with FIGS. 19 and 20, with the aid of other building blocks in order to afford adequate axial play for the central shaft 10. The peg receiving holes of the outer building blocks are then closed as by cover plates 32.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A building block game set of the type comprising a plurality of similar building block elements each having a non-circular peg and a non-circular socket adapted to receive the non-circular peg of another block and a plurality of rotatable elements each formed with a noncircular socket adapted to receive a non-circular peg of one of said building blocks, a shaft having at least one longitudinally extending surface groove, and a plurality of connecting members each adapted to be received within any of said sockets and each connecting member having a bore adapted to receive said shaft, and a longitudinally extending rib within each said connecting member adapted for slidable reception within a shaft groove whereby said shaft may be connected non-rotatably to any of said connecting members.

2. The building block game set defined in claim 1, wherein said shaft may be rotatably mounted in a through bore in said peg in one of said blocks and extend into a connecting member mounted within a socket in said one block.

3. A building block game set as defined in claim 1, wherein some of said connecting members have non-circular outer contours for being non-rotatably mounted in said sockets.

4. A building block game set as defined in claim 1, wherein some of said connecting members have cylindrical outer contours for rotative mounting in said sockets. 1

5. A building block game set as defined in claim 1, including further connecting members having smooth bores rotatably fitting with said shaft.

6. A building block game set as defined in claim 1, wherein said shaft is formed along its length with a plurality of parallel surface grooves and some of said connecting members are formed with a corresponding plurality of ribs to fit within said grooves.

7. A building block game set as defined in claim 6, wherein said grooves and ribs are in diametrically opposed sets.

8. A building block game set as defined in claim 1, wherein said shaft groove is wider at its outer open end than at its root and said rib is of complementary shape.

9. A building block game set as defined in claim 8, wherein said rib has rounded edges at its intersections with said connecting element, and said groove has rounded edges at its intersections with the surface of said shaft.

10. A building block game set of the type wherein building blocks are adapted to be assembled with shafts mounting rotatable elements such as wheels and gears comprising a building block formed at one end with a flat sided peg receiving socket hole and having a cylindrical shaft receiving bore coaxial with said hole, and a peg of non-circular external contour projecting therefrom, said peg having a flat sided external cross section of substantially the size and shape of said socket hole so that another game set member of corresponding shape and size or the peg of another block may fit snugly into said hole for non-rotatable attachment, and an annular connecting element having on at least part thereof a flat sided external cross section adapted to fit snugly into said socket hole, said connecting element having a bore formed with at least one internally projecting narrow rib, and said cylindrical shaft being adapted to extend through said connecting element bore and having a rib receiving surface groove extending from end to end thereof.

11. A building block game set as defined in claim 10, wherein said rib has rounded edges at its intersections with said connecting element, and said groove is rounded at its intersections with the shaft surface.

12. In a toy building set comprising a multiplicity of substantially identical, matingly interconnectable basic construction elements, the improvement wherein each of said basic element comprises a prismatic building block body with top, bottom and side faces, said body having coupling means for connecting same with a similar body, said coupling means including a peg projecting centrally from the top face and a complementary socket on the bottom face of the body, said set further including a multiplicity of annular connecting members and a multiplicity of shafts of a size to fit into said connecting members, said peg being formed with a throughgoing cylindrical axial bore of a size to receive rotatably any of said shafts, each of said connecting members of a shape to fit non-rotatably into said socket, each of said shafts being long enough to project endwise beyond said peg upon traversing said bore while having an end fitted into a connecting member received in said socket, and cooperating interfitting means on each of said shafts and within each of said connecting members for non-rotatable connection of a connecting member to a shaft extending therethrough.

13. The improvement defined in claim 12, wherein said socket has a depth substantially exceeding the height of any of said connecting members whereby the peg of another basic element is insertable into said socket behind such connecting member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,415,007 12/1968 Howe 4625 FOREIGN PATENTS 435,083 10/ 1967 Switzerland.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner I. Q. LEVER, JR., Assistant Examiner 

